WHereas upon the first day of May next, the time doth expire, wherein the Forces lately raised for the defence of the Fron­tiers at Albany, were to abide, which continuing still daily exposed to the Attempts of the French, their Majesties declared Enemies, it is of absolute necessity that they should from the said time be well Re-inforced, not only for the Preservation of this Province, but also for the Security and Defence of all their Majesties Subjects in the adjacent Colonies. And to the end that the said purposes may be well and truly effected, the Representatives convened in General Assembly, do pray, that his Excellency would levy or cause to be levyed in this and the adjacent Collonies three hundred effectual Men, Volunteers, to be formed in four Companies of Souldiers, and imployed in their Majesties service, for the security and defence of the Frontiers of this Province at Albany, and there to continue during the time hereafter mentioned and expressed. That is to say, That his Excellency doth forth-with, upon publication hereof, raise, or cause to be raised, as aforesaid, two hun­dred effectual men Volunteers, which are to be formed into four Com­panies of Souldiers, as aforesaid, and imployed at Albany, for their Majesties Service as aforesaid, and there to continue in the said Service from the first day of May next, until the first day of May then next fol­lowing, [Page] that shall be in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hun­dred Ninety and Four. And also, That his Excellency shall likewise raise One Hundred effective Men Volunteers more, which shall likewise be added to the four Companions aforesaid, in equal Proportion, and posted at Albany, as aforesaid, and there only to continue and remain from the first day of November next ensuing, until the fifteenth day of March then following, and no longer.

And that his Excellency may be the better enabled to make such Levys as aforesaid, the Representatives convened in general Assembly, do pray that it may be Enacted, And be it therefore Enacted by the Governour and Council, and Representatives convened in general Assembly, and by the Authority of the same That a Levy of Six Thousand Pounds currant Money of this Province be laid, assessed, raised and levyed upon all and every of the Inhabitants, Residents and Free holders of and in this Province, &c. for the paying and maintaining of the said three hundred Volunteers and their Officers, together with the incidental Charges that shall arise thereon, according to the Establishment here­unto annexed, and no otherwise, and for no other use, intent or purpose whatsoever.

To be laid, assessed, raised and levyed in each respective City and County, throughout the Province, according to the Rates, Quota's and Proportions hereafter following; that is to say,

For the City and County of New-York, One Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion of the Levy of Six Thousand Pounds aforesaid.

For the County of Suffolk, in the Island of Nassaw, Twelve Hundred Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

For Queens County, in the Island of Nassaw, One Thousand Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

For Kings County, in the said Island of Nassaw, Nine Hundred Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

For the County of Westchester Five Hundred and Sixty Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

For the County of Ʋlster and Dutches County, Six Hundred & Thirty Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

For the County of Richmond, Two Hundred and Thirty Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

And for the County of Orange Thirty Pounds, being their Quota and Proportion, as aforesaid.

All which Quota's and Proportions, as aforesaid, doth in the whole amount unto the Sum of Six Thousand Pounds currant Money afore­said, which said Sum of Six Thousand Pound shall well and truely be paid by the respective Collectors of each respective City and County aforesaid, unto their Majesties Collector and Receiver General for the time being, at their Majesties Custom House in the City of New-York, in two equal Payments, that is to say, Three Thousand Pounds currant Money as aforesaid, being the one moiety or equal half part of the said [Page] Thousand Pounds, at or before the nine and twentieth day of September next, being the Feast Day of St. Michael the Arch-Angel. And the other three Thousand Pounds currant Money aforesaid, being the other moiety or equal half part of the Levy aforesaid, at or before the twenty fifth day of March then next following, being the Feast day of the Anunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, which shall be in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety and Four, under the pains and penalties herein after mentioned.

And that the said Sum of Six Thousand Pounds, according to the Quota's and Proportions aforesaid, may be most truely and effectually assessed, raised, collected and paid unto their Majesties Receiver General, in manner aforesaid and for the intent and purposes aforesaid. Be it further Enacted, and it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Mayor and Aldermen within this City of New-York, for the time being, and the Justices of the Peace for the time being, for the several and respective Coun [...]ies aforesaid, for the several Counties respectively, for the which they shall be Justices of the Peace do within forty days after Publication hereof, assemble and meet together in the Court Houses, for the several respective Cities and Counties, or such other place or places as they shall agree upon amongst themselves, and shall there order that Assessors and Collectors for the several and respective Cities, Towns, Mannors, and Liberties within their several Jurisdictions, for the assessing, collecting and receiving of the publick R [...]es, for the defraying the publick and necessary Charges of each respective City and County aforesaid, be the Assessors and Collectors for the assessing, collecting and receiving the sum or sums of Money herein before-mentioned, according to the proportions before expressed, as to the said Mayor and Alder-men and Justices shall seem meet and reasonable.

And forasmuch as there are several Mannors and Jurisdictions within the respective Counties aforesaid, who neglect, and do not elect annually or once every Year Assessors and Collectors, whereby the intent of this Act may be frustrated, Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority afore­said, That if the respective Mannors and Jurisdictions within the several Counties aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to elect Assessors & Collectors for the assessing of their respective Mannors and Jurisdictions, and for the collecting the same, according to the intent and direction of this Act, then and in such case the Justices of the Peace of the Counties where such Mannors or Jurisdictions are, are hereby impowered and authorized to nominate and appoint Assessors and Collectors for such Mannors and Jurisdictions as shall neglect or refuse as aforesaid; which Assessors and Collectors shall to all intents and purposes observe the directions of this Act, any thing contained herein to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding.

[Page]And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Mayor, Aldermen and Justices of the Peace for the respective Cities and Counties, Mannors and Jurisdictions have and shall have Power and Authority by virtue of this Act, each of them by himself to administer an Oath to the said Assessors, Well, Truly, Equally and Impartially, and in due Proportion, as it shall appear to them, according to their best Ʋnderstand­ing, to assess and rate the Inhabitants, Residents & Free-holders of the respective places for which they shall be chosen Assessors.

And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons who shall be chosen Assessors or Collectors, shall deny, neglect, or unequally, or partially assess, or refuse to make such Assessment, as by this Act is required, or shall deny, neglect or refuse to collect any Sum or Sums of Money, in form afore-mentioned assest, that then and in such case, it shall and may be lawful for any two Justices of the Peace of the Cities and Counties where such Offenders shall happen to dwell or reside, & who by virtue of this Act, are required and impower­ed to do the same by Warrant under their Hands and Seals, to commit such Assessor or Assessors, Collector or Collectors so denying, neglect­ing or unequally and partially assessing, or refusing to collect, as aforesaid, to the common Goal, there to remain without Bayl or Mainprize till he or they make Fine and Ransom to their Majesties, for such Contempt, as aforesaid.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons, of what Degree or Quality soever he or they be, within this Province, who shall be assessed or rated any sum or sums of Money by virtue of this Act to be raised and levyed, shall deny, refuse or delay to pay and satify the same, that then it shall and may be law­ful for any such Collector, by virtue of a Warrant under the Hand and Seal of any Justice of the Peace for the City or County where such Offender shall dwell or reside, who by Virtue of this Act are Required and Authorized to grant and issue forth such Warrant, to levy the same by Distress and Sale of such Person or Persons Goods and Chattles, re­turning the Over-plus, if any be, to the Owners, the Sum assessed, and Charges of Distress and Sale being first deducted. And that where any of the Goods and Chattels shall be distrained for any of the Assesments and Rates aforesaid, and the Owner of the said Goods shall not within five days next after such Distress taken, and notice thereof, with the cause of such taking left at the House, or other most known place where the distress was made, come and pay to the Collector and Receiver of the Assessment aforesaid, that then after such Distress, and notice as afore­said, and expiration of the said five days, the Collector, or person di­straining shall and may cause the Goods and Chattels so distrained, to be appraised by two sworn Appraisers, to appraise the same truely, according to the best of their Understandings, and after such appraisement shall and may lawfully carry and drive the said Goods and Chattels so [Page] distrained, into any County or Town throughout the Province, and the said Goods and Chattels shall and may there lawfully sell for the best Price can be gotten for the same, toward satisfaction of the Rates afore­said, and of the Charges of such Distress, Appraisement and Sale, giving the Over-plus to the Owners.

And also, be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Mayor, Alderman or Justice of the Peace within this Province, who are hereby Required, Impowered and Authorized to take effectual care that this Act and every Article and Clause therein be duely executed, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, shall deny, neglect, refuse or delay to do, perform, fullfill and execute all and every or any the Duties, Powers and Authorities, by this Act required and im­powered, by h [...]m or them to be done, performed, fullfilled and executed, and shall thereof be convicted before the Governour and Council, or before any of their Majesties Courts of Record within this Province, he or they shall suffer such pain, by Fine and Imprisonment, as by the discretion of the said Governor and Council, and the Justices of the said Courts, shall be adjudged.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid. That if any Action, Bill, Plaint or Information shall be brought, moved or prose­cuted at any time hereafter against any Person or Persons, for any Matter, Clause or Thing, done or acted in pursuance or execution of this Act, such Person or Persons so sued or prosecuted in any Court whatsoever, shall and may plead the general Issue, Not Guilty, and give this Act, and the special Matter in Evidence; and if the Plantiff or Prosecutor shall be Non-suited, or forbear further Prosecution, or suffer Discon­tinuance or Verdict to pass against him, the Defendant or Defendants shall recover Treble Costs, for which they shall have the like Remedy, as in case where Costs by the Law are given to Defendants.

Provided always, That no Major, Alder-man or Justice of the Peace shall be troubled, sued, prosecuted or molested for any Omission, Offence or Neglect by virtue of this Act, but within the space of one year after such Omission, Offence or Neglect, and not at any Time here­after, any thing contained herein to the contrary hereof in any wise not­withstanding.

Alwayes provided, and be it further Enacted by the Authority afore­said, That the several Collectors of each respective City and County, as aforesaid, shall have liberty to pay the several and respective Sums assessed, as aforesaid, at the day aforesaid, in currant Money at New-York, or for want thereof in good sufficient and merchantable Provisions, at the Rates and Prices hereafter specified and expressed, to wit, good mer­chantable Pork at the Rates of fifty Shillings per Barrel, the Barrel well repacked by the sworn Packer at New-York, and the Barrell containing Thirty One Gallons and half, Winchester Measure, at least. Beef at the Rate of Thirty Two Shillings and Six Pence per Barrel, well repackt by [Page] the sworn Packet of New-York, aforesaid, the Barrel to contain thirty one Gallons and a half, Winchester-Measure, at least. Good merchantable Winter Wheat at four Shillings per Bushel. Tryed Tallow at four pence half penny per Pound.

Provided always, and be it further Enacted by the Authority afore­said, That if it shou'd so happen that his Excellency, pursuant to the Limitations aforesaid, could not effect to raise so many Volunteers in manner aforesaid, but that for the intent aforesaid his Excellency should be constrained to make proportionable Detachments in the respective Cities and Counties within this Province, to compleat the Number of the Forces, as aforesaid, then it is the true intent and meaning of this Act, that there shall only be allowed & paid unto such person or persons so detached as aforesaid, for the service aforesaid, the sum of Eight Pence per Diem for each Person so imployed as aforesaid, and no more, any thing contained herein, or mentioned in the Establishment hereunto annexed, in any wayes to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.